


the world is brighter than the sun (now that you’re here)

by audioSalix



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Adoption, Domestic, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 06:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11961678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audioSalix/pseuds/audioSalix
Summary: And it isn’t that Vax isjealousof Vex. He loves his sister, and his nieces and nephew, and he loves the life he and Shaun have together as couple, just over a year into their marriage. But coming home from the chaos of his sister’s living room to the near-vacancy of his own house, yeah, maybe it was a little difficult to feel likesomethingwasn’t missing.





	the world is brighter than the sun (now that you’re here)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cinderfell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderfell/gifts).
  * Inspired by [this love is more than worth its weight in gold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11060475) by [cinderfell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderfell/pseuds/cinderfell). 



> This is a sister fic of sorts to Kaity [cinderfell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderfell/pseuds/cinderfell)’s percy/vex fic, [this love is more than worth its weight in gold](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11060475). This is set between chapter 2 and 3 of that, and while I don’t think you necessarily need to have read it to understand what’s going on here, you should read it, because it’s good and you should go and tell Kaity how great she is.
> 
> Title unapologetically taken from Light by Sleeping At Last, which drove me through the last 10% of this.

It starts, one day, at his sister's house, helping to tidy up the kitchen after three messy children, to the distant sound of Percy politely negotiating bedtime with a pair of diplomatic two year olds.

“It's very kind of you to come over and help us so often,” Vex comments.

Vax squints suspiciously at her. “Why do I get the feeling you're making fun of me.”

“Not everything I say is a slight against you personally, brother.”

He tactfully chooses to ignore that. “I like spending time with the kids, what's so wrong with that?”

Vex just raises her eyebrows, continuing to rinse dishes in silence.

He opens his mouth to deliver what was sure to be a biting and hilarious retaliation, when a small voice pipes up from the entrance to the kitchen.

“Daddy said to come and say goodnight,” Elaina informs them, clad in her absolutely adorable pajamas.

“Goodnight darling,” Vex replies, smiling fondly.

The little girl nods, then after a moment of consideration, runs up and delivers a quick hug to both her mother and uncle, before scampering back off to her bedroom.

“Look at you,” Vex teases, once she's gone. “You're smitten. Stop being so stubborn and admit you want one so you can stop turning up and co-opting mine.”

Vax stands up straight, flicking dishwater at her for good measure. “You're a constant menace in my life, I hope you know that.”

“Goodnight brother,” she responds, as he heads towards the door. “I hope you find a cure for that baby fever of yours!”

He considers, for a brief moment, slamming the door behind him, just to spite her, but decides at the last moment to try being a grownup about it. But as he heads home, thinking of his sister, and the family she has, it's difficult to ignore the not unfamiliar pang that rings through his chest.

And it isn’t that Vax is  _ jealous _ of Vex. He loves his sister, and his nieces and nephew, and he loves the life he and Shaun have together as couple, just over a year into their marriage. But coming home from the chaos of his sister’s living room to the near-vacancy of his own house, yeah, maybe it was a little difficult to feel like  _ something _ wasn’t missing.

“It’s so odd, how much quieter it is here,” he comments, slumping into a kitchen chair. “Vex’s house is so loud these days. Almost makes you feel a little lonely.”

Shaun gives him a strange glance, amusement mixed with something else he can’t quite decode.

“What?” Vax says, petulant.

“Nothing at all.”

“What are you laughing at?” he whines, tilting his head up to meet his husband’s eyes.

“It sounds to me, darling, like you’ve caught a case of what your sister would call ‘Baby Fever’,” Shaun quips.

“I do not have baby fever,” Vax protests.

“So this wasn’t your lead in to asking me for children?” Shaun asks, moving to sit down at the table beside him. Vax feels his cheeks turn hot, and Shaun laughs again.

“The thought may have occurred to me,” he mumbles. He looks up as a warm hand reaches across the table to take one of his own.

“I did figure. You haven’t been very subtle with Vex’ahlia’s children.”

“I don’t want kids  _ just _ because of my sister,” Vax insists.

“But you do want kids?” he asks softly, his face unreadable, and his tone neutral.

“Yeah,” Vax admits, voice small. “I want a family. With you. If that's what you want too.”

Shaun reaches out with the hand that isn't joined with his, and brushes his thumb along Vax's cheek. “If you think we’re ready for a family. Of course I do.”

Vax huffs out a breath he didn't realise he was holding, and leans into his husband's hand. “Good. Right. I'm glad. Obviously.”

They spend a few long moments simply sitting and watching each other, enjoying the quiet of the evening.

Vax clears his throat awkwardly. “I'm… not really sure what to do from here,” he admits. “I was mostly focused on making it this far.” Shaun squeezes his hand lightly.

“That’s perfectly alright. I’m sure many would say it’s a fundamental of parenthood, to not really know what you’re doing. We'll figure it out. Together,” he adds meaningfully, and Vax laughs.

“Together,” he agrees.

* * *

 

A few days later, Vax finds Shaun lingering in the doorway of their barren guest bedroom, gazing thoughtfully across the walls and plain curtains.

“Thinking of redecorating?” Vax teases, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist and resting his cheek against his shoulder. Shaun hums absently, continuing to study the room.

“Just sprucing it up a little. It wouldn’t really do for a young child in the state it’s in.”

Vax starts a little. “Ah. Right.”

“Don’t tell me you’d forgotten,” he jibes, playful.

“Of course not,” he says, defensive. “I’d just, you know.” He gestures out to the room before them. “Not given much thought to the….the  _ real _ parts of it.”

Shaun shifts to face him, leaning back against the doorframe. “Having second thoughts?”

Vax pauses, considering. “No,” he replies eventually, cautious. “I still want this. It’s just….different, now that it’s actually  _ happening _ , and not just….a daydream.”

Shaun smiles fondly. “You’ve thought about this a lot?”

“More than I should’ve,” he admits. “Not buying the furniture, or childproofing the house, or….. But, being a family. The small things. Making dinner together, or just sitting around in the evenings, while our children play-” Shaun quirks an eyebrow at that, and Vax stutters when he realises what he’s said.

“Not that- I’m not making any assumptions, about how many kids you want, or what will happen in the future, it’s just, I just meant-” 

He trails away as a gentle hand under his chin tilts his head upwards, and Shaun’s lips are on his, just softly, the corners of his lips still turned upwards in amusement.

“Let’s take things one at a time,” he laughs. Vax murmurs a quiet apology. 

“We should go to Emon.”

“Huh?” Vax replies, as elegant as ever, perplexed by the apparent change in subject.

“Foster homes,” Shaun clarifies. “Not that there won’t be perfectly lovely children looking for homes here in Whitestone. I just think looking in Emon wouldn’t lend itself to so much, ah. Gossip.”

“Ah. Right”

“It’s not that I don’t love my dear sister-in-law,” he continues. “But I would prefer if we were able to tell her ourselves, and not have her find out second hand. And the degree to which she just knows everything is, frankly, terrifying.”

“You don’t want to tell her beforehand?” Vax asks, surprised.

“Of course, it’s not that, it’s just,” Shaun hesitates. “We don’t know how long this will all take, to find a child, get everything sorted so we can bring them home - it’s more about… not getting her hopes up too early? Or, more accurately, keeping her out of our house and business for as long as possible.”

Vax can agree with that. He remembers the first time he mentioned, offhanded, the idea of them having children, how Vex had reacted - practically flipping over a table in her excitement. As much as he loves her (and he really does, truly), the idea of having her buzzing around his house for weeks was, in fact, slightly nauseating.

“Alright, so we hold on the sister part,” he concludes. “What’s next?”

Shaun hums thoughtfully. “We haven’t really talked, yet, about... Did you want a child?”

Vax blinks. “As opposed to…?”

“Well, as opposed to a baby, I suppose.”

“Oh. I see.”

“As much as it would be nice to have a child right from their earliest stages, I do also believe it’s true that older children aren’t as… readily adopted, as infants tend to be. I had thought…” He trailed off, looking at Vax imploringly.

Vax’s heart softens. “That would be nice. Although… how old is ‘older’?”

Shaun considers. “Five? Maybe six.”

He purses his lips. “Not seven?” Shaun just stares at him. “What?”

“Darling, while your desire to outdo your sister is usually endearing, I must draw the line at trying to out-age her children.”

Vax gasps, mock offended. “That’s an awfully bold assumption. Maybe seven is just my lucky number.” Shaun rolls his eyes, and gently flicks Vax’s nose before pressing a fleeting kiss to the tip of it.

“You’re lucky I love you, you fool,” he teases, before walking away, leaving Vax in the doorway of their child’s bedroom alone.

* * *

It’s not difficult for them to make excuses and take a day trip out to Emon - they stop by the shop to check up on everything, grab a bite of lunch, and head out to the central district, towards the foster home that they had found.

The foster home in question is an inviting enough place, he supposes, with wide open windows and a colourful display of flowers along the windowsill, but nothing about its demeanour can stop the sudden bout of anxiety that floods through his system.

“Vax?” Shaun asks, voice laced with concern. Vax shakes himself, squaring his shoulders.

“Yeah, ok, I’m fine,” he takes a deep breath, reaching out to grasp the handle of the door. “Let’s do it.”

They’re greeted by a halfling woman who sits behind the front desk, who smiles warmly at the couple as they walk up.

“Welcome! I can’t say I’ve seen you two around before. Looking to adopt?”

Vax nods, barely able to hold back a crooked smile. The halfling claps her hands together.

“That’s great news! Will this be your first child?”

Shaun smiles now, squeezing Vax’s hand. “It will.”

“Excellent! Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to keep as much stress out of the process as possible. I know first-time parents can find it a little daunting at first, but it’ll feel like home here in no time. You’ll be back again before you know it,” she tells them, with a wink. Vax finds himself biting back laughter at the woman’s enthusiasm, even as it calms his nerves.

“You won’t just be able to leave with a child today, of course,” she explains. “There’s a process that has to be gone through, that takes a few weeks, but the good news is you’ll be matched up with a child before that - today, hopefully, if you like - so you can come and visit them in the meantime. It’s always good to get to know each other in a more neutral environment.

“I’ll call one of the nurses to come and show you around and help you out. Shouldn’t be too long, you’re welcome to take a seat.” She gestures at the chairs along the walls of the entrance room.

Shaun sits, fidgeting with the arm of the chair distractedly, while Vax chooses to lean against the wall by his side. He’s not really sure if he’s more nervous or excited at that moment, no idea what to expect from the coming hours, and the weeks after that. He supposes it has to be slightly different for couples having a baby of their own - nine months to prepare, and at least some idea of the outcome. One parent’s eyes, the other’s hair - Vax, however, found himself running circles in his mind, trying to picture this mystery child they would be bringing into their family.

He’s disturbed from his absent minded state by a sudden clattering, as a passing nurse stumbles, paperwork falling out from under her arm and scattering across the floor.

“Oh! Sorry!” 

Vax drops to a crouch, gathering up the fallen papers and pulling them into some semblance of an organised stack, before standing and offering them back to her. The nurse is a stocky elven woman, dark hair messily falling out of its ponytail, obviously flustered and in the middle of a long day of work. She awkwardly extends her left arm, trying to grab the papers without dropping the rest of her cargo, and Vax finally registers that the bundle of blankets sitting against her right side is, in fact, a tiny tiefling baby.

“Hello there,” Vax says, as the baby peers curiously up at him. She’s only a few months old, it seems, skin a deep vibrant maroon, tiny horns peeking out from dark curls of hair.

“Would you like a hand?” Shaun offers, holding a hand out to take some of the paperwork. The nurse nods gratefully, and instead holds out the child, seeming not to notice his confusion. Shaun nevertheless extends his arms cautiously, pulling the baby in to sit against his hip.

“What’s her name?” Vax asks.

“Hasn’t got one yet, not properly, poor thing. Only just got here a few days ago - I’ve been calling her Birdie, because she’s such a magpie,” she explains, with a nod towards where the young girl had reached up to fasten a hand around one of Shaun’s necklaces, attempting to tug it towards her mouth.

Shaun laughs at that. “Hey now, little one, I think you’ll find that’s mine,” he coos, trying to disengage the chain from her firm grip. She shoots him an incredulous look, clearly sure that it was, in fact, hers. Vax smiles softly at the sight, surprised at just how much it got to him, seeing his husband cradling this infant in his arms.

...Maybe he did have baby fever.

“She’s such a calm little thing, really.” The nurse sighs. “Of course, not that it’ll help her in the long run. Tiefling children tend to spend quite a while in foster care before they find a family wanting to give them a home. Even one as cute as this,” she coos, waving her fingers.

Vax shoots a furtive glance in Shaun's direction, and finds him looking right back. Their eyes meet, and in that moment, Vax knows they have the exact same thing on their minds.

“Would you mind… giving us a moment alone?” Vax asks slowly. The nurse smiles knowingly, and gathers all the papers into her arms before tottering away, presumably to harass some other defenseless couple.

“That woman just manipulated us into wanting this baby,” Shaun points out.

“I can't say I'm too upset about it,” he replies, reaching out to brush the little girl's hand (the one that wasn’t still gripping Shaun's jewellery like a vice). “She'd get along with Vex well enough, I suppose.”

“You really want this? A baby?” he asks seriously.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. I know it’ll be… a serious responsibility, but.” Vax steps closer, until the tiefling girl was cradled between them. She turns to look up at him, smiling and reaching out to pat his chest with her tiny hand. “I can’t imagine she’ll be anything we can’t handle, between all of us.”

Shaun sighs, before lifting the baby away from his hip to hold her up at eye level. “How about it, little magpie? Do you want to come home with us?” She giggles and kicks her legs in the air, clearly pleased with the attention.

Vax feels, in the moment, like his heart was fit to burst.

* * *

 

The next half hour feels every kind of hectic, while the now very smug nurse brings out an endless load of paperwork to be read and signed in order for everything to be settled. The baby ( _ their baby, holy shit _ ) is taken from them, back to the rest of the children, with the promise to return soon to see her.

“It shouldn't be too long before this is all processed,” the nurse tells Vax sympathetically, seeing him watch her be carried from the room. “Three weeks, or thereabouts. You chose a very good time to come, since we aren’t that busy and all.”

Vax nods distractedly, trying to focus on filling out the forms in front of him.

“You can pick a name for her, if you’d like, since she’s not really old enough to remember what we’ve been calling her.”

“A name?” he echoes, slowly.

“Not right now, if you don’t know,” she reassures. “We can get all that settled later, on your next visit.”

He glances sidelong at Shaun, who shrugs in response.

“We have time,” Shaun agrees. “Don’t worry.”

After all the necessary paperwork is sorted out and taken away for processing, with promises from the nurses to have it worked through as quickly as they could manage, Vax feels unbelievably ready to go back home and take a nap. Shaun seems inclined to agree, and the two walk together in calm silence back to the shop, ready to teleport back to Whitestone.

“Amala,” Shaun says quietly, a few days later, early in the morning. Vax looks up from his tea, still groggy with sleep, and blinks slowly at him.

“It’s an old-fashioned Marquesian endearment,” he clarifies, walking over to lean on the table besides his husband. “Sort of like one would say darling, or beloved. Nowadays, however, it’s really just used as a name. Meaning bird.”

His meaning slowly dawns on Vax. “Her name.” 

Shaun smiles, reaching out to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind Vax’s ear. “I thought it might fit.”

“Amala Gilmore. Geddmore?” He frowns, looking up at Shaun, who simply shrugs.

“It is my family name, I suppose. My parents would certainly be thrilled.”

“But you?” he pushes. “Would that make you happy?”

Shaun seems to consider for a moment, drumming his fingers across the tabletop. “Yes,” he decides. “To give our daughter a part of my history. It does make me happy.”

Vax nods in acceptance, then lets out a breathy laugh. “Gods. Our daughter, huh?”. Shaun smiles back at him.

“It’s strange,” he muses. “I thought it would take time, before she really felt like family. To get used to having her around, so to speak. But….”

“I know,” Vax murmurs. “She's already stolen my heart, too.” 

“Sap,” he teases, and Vax grins crookedly back at him.

“Hey.” Shaun gives him a curious look. “We’re  _ parents _ .”

He laughs, voice full of elation and wonder. “I suppose we are.”

“Which of us gets to be ‘Dad’, do you think?” Vax muses. “What, do we- flip a coin for it? Boulder-parchment-shears?

“I guess that just comes down to which of us she likes more,” he teases, rubbing Vax’s shoulder.

“She can’t even  _ speak _ -” Vax starts, but Shaun is already gone.

* * *

 

“I swear to the Gods, Vax’ildan, this better be good.”

Vax grins, just tugging harder on Vex’s arm as he leads her through the streets of Emon. Vax and Shaun had been back here several times in the last week and a half, bringing clothes and toys, spending time with their daughter as they eagerly await the day they would be able to finally bring her home. Amala was a very inquisitive baby, not shy in the slightest, and keen to explore as much of the world as she could given she could barely sit up by herself. Shaun was waiting at the foster home now, gone ahead to bring Amala out to where Vex could meet her. Not that Vex knew this, of course, due to being blindfolded - the source of her current irritation.

“Patience, sister,” Vax sing-songs. “And don’t bother trying to peek through it, it’s magical,” he adds, noticing her lifting her chin to try glimpse their location from underneath the fabric.

“Why do you have a magical- you know what, don’t answer that, I’m fine not knowing.” Vax snorts, and pinches her arm.

After a little while longer of travelling, and a lot more bickering, Vax pulls her to a stop in front of the home, pushes open the door, and leads her inside.

“You can take it off now.”

Vex reaches up and pulls the blindfold free from her eyes, immediately flinging it at her brother in mock disgust. She glances briefly around the room, the entrance area to the home, before she spots Shaun near the opposite door, a half asleep Amala cradled in his arms.

“That’s a baby,” she gasps.

“Mhmm.”

“Vax,” she turns to him and grabs his arms, frantic. “That is a  _ baby _ .” He smirks at her, watching her face light up with glee.

“Is that  _ your _ baby?” she whispers, nearly reverent. Before he can open his mouth to respond, she’s bolted off towards Shaun and Amala, arms outstretched.

Amala seems excited to meet her, reaching out a hand and waving it towards Vex as she approaches. Vax follows a few paces behind, and when Amala looks up and spots him, she freezes, clearly shocked. She glances quickly between the twins, comically perplexed by the situation, and Vax has to fight back the urge to giggle.

“It’s alright, it’s still me,” he soothes. “Amala, meet your Auntie Vex.”

“Hi darling,” Vex coos. “It’s so lovely to meet you.” Amala gives her a quizzical glance, definitely still not sure what exactly was happening, but willing to accept it for the time being.

Vex and Amala get on spectacularly well. Amala, naturally, is very interested in all of Vex’s jewellery, especially the golden beads she had braided into her hair (a gift from Vax, a few birthdays ago). Vex is content to sit and chatter away with her niece, who seems charmed, and settles down shamelessly on the floor to play with her. In the end, they stay so long that Amala dozes off, head resting against Vex's shoulder, one tiny hand curled into her shirt. The sight is nearly overwhelming, and Vax takes a moment to convince himself he is  _ not _ going to cry.

(Vex and Shaun have the decency to pretend not to notice, at least.)

“They're so cute at this age,” Vex sighs, after Amala had been taken back to her crib, the three of them heading out to find some dinner.

Vax snorts. “Now who's got baby fever?”

Vex ignores him, with a smoothness that only years of practice can yield.

“I’m gonna be the best Aunt, just you wait. I hear it’s all the fun bits of being a parent with none of the boring stuff.”

Vax frowns. “I don’t think there’s any boring parts of being a parent.”

“Give it a few months.” She glances sidelong at him. “I’m kidding, dear. You’re going to love it, I know. Even if you’ll be a disgustingly doting parent.”

She links arms with him, and offers her other arm to Shaun at her other side.

“Enough serious talk. Let’s go celebrate. It’s not every day you get to bring someone new into the family, you know.”

* * *

 

Shaun had certainly been right when he’d insisted on waiting to introduce Vex to Amala - it felt like every day after they told her she was over, helping them furnish the nursery, baby-proofing the house from top to bottom, asking them questions and giving advice. Despite her good intentions, it could only be endearing for so long before Vax had to put his foot down and remind Vex she had three children of her own and didn’t  _ need _ to try and parent his. Still, not even this could sour the good mood of their family, as the the days drew closer to the day Amala would be coming home.

But despite his excitement, and his love for their family, as he and Shaun prepare to leave the house to travel to the foster home for the last time (in a while, at least, he thinks to himself), he finds himself hesitating, just for a moment.

“You're going to be a great father.” 

Vax looks up to see his sister, lingering in the doorway. He frowns at her.

“Why are you in my-”

She cuts him off. “I'm serious. You’ll do great. I'm happy for you. And so, so proud.”

He stares back at her. “Are you….going to cry?”

“No,” she insists. “This is my happy face.”

“Aw, Vex.” He steps forward and pulls her in, and she settles herself under his chin, just like she has thousands of times before. He runs his hands through her hair, as she doesn't-cry against his chest, and he also stoically doesn't-cry above her.

“Vax,” Shaun says softly, breaking the twins from their moment. Vex steps back, sniffling, and pats him on his now not-tearstained shirt.

“Go on then. Go get your kid. Start your dream life.”

He squeezes her shoulder, giving her a watery smile, and steps away, towards his husband (towards his daughter).

“Shall we?” he asks, offering his hand out for Shaun, who runs his thumb over his wedding band before lacing their fingers together.

“Gladly.”

 

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Art is by fruitmeats, and [here’s a link on tumblr](http://fruitmeats.tumblr.com/post/161594480929/commission-for-jmonsaord-give-them-a-baby)!
> 
> This started as me trying to throw down a few scenes of how I imagined Amala coming to be a part of the family, and got wildly out of control, but I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
